Bob Wagner, Director & Trumpet

Bob maintains an active schedule as a freelance trumpet player, bandleader, and musical contractor in the metropolitan Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley areas. Over the past 20 years, he has performed with dozens of regional classical, jazz, R&B & theatre groups in countless venues.

Bob is the director and trumpet soloist for the 20 piece Jump City Jazz Orchestra, of a mix of professional and amateur musicians widely considered to be Philly's Hottest Big Band. The group performs at concerts, private parties and weddings for audiences throughout the Philadelphia area. Bob has produced and appeared as a soloist on 2 critically acclaimed CDs with the Jump City Jazz Orchestra.

Bob co-owns and operates Jump City Music and Hickory Brass, two of the areas most active music performance and contracting organizations providing musicians and musical services to churches, theaters, community groups and schools in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Bob is a proud member of Bugles Across America, a volunteer network of trumpeters, dedicated to honoring our fallen active duty and veteran servicemen and women with a live presentation of "Taps" at their funeral.

In addition to musical activities, Bob maintains a career in the Information Technology industry and resides with his wife, JCJO lead trombone Gail Glass, in their Chester Springs, PA empty nest along with their dog Boomer (adoptee from The Seeing Eye.

Nick Ciardelli, Lead Trumpet
Nick has been playing professionally since he was sixteen years old. Upon graduating from The University of The Arts in May of 2009, Nick was hired to play split-lead trumpet with The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra. This included an eight month tour, with performances in over forty US states, areas of Canada, and a five week throughout Japan. As an active freelance musician in the Philadelphia and Atlantic City area, Nick can be heard locally as the Lead Trumpet Player with various big bands, rock/top 40 groups, traveling shows and musical theater productions.

Originally from Long Beach Island, NJ, Nick is currently enrolled at West Chester University where he is pursuing his Masters in Trumpet Performance.

Francis Carpino, Lead Trumpet
Francis joined the Jump City Jazz Orchestra in 2009, as the new Lead Trumpet player. He is currently a music performance and education major at The University of The Arts, in Philadelphia. Francis is involved with many performing groups, including The UArts “Z” Band, Transfusion Ensemble, The Rick Kerber Tribute Ensemble, Jazz Trumpet Ensemble, and the Latin American Ensemble. Francis’ earlier accomplishments include performing with various county and district all-star bands including Lead Trumpet in the UARTS Grammy Band. Francis has performed internationally at in Italy and Ireland as well as locally at Citizens Bank Park, and Lincoln Financial Field. When not attending school in Philadelphia, Francis makes his home in Bucks County, PA

Chris Bennett, Trumpet
Chris graduated from Purdue University and Penn State University with a B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering. When he wasn't busy trying to disprove Einstein's theory of relativity, he was involved in many concert and jazz ensembles and the All-American Marching Band. Chris currently works as a design engineer for Lockheed Martin in Moorestown, NJ. While Chris admits his driver's license says he resides in New Jersey, he can often be heard mumbling 'If only I could make a left turn.' Chris is active as both a visual and music judge in the Cavalcade of Bands and USSBA marching band circuits and is an alumnus of the Reading Buccaneers Drum and Bugle Corps. Chris joined the Jump City Jazz Orchestra in 1997 and enjoys playing notes below the staff. In his free time, Chris enjoys snow skiing, auto racing, annoying Bill Carroll, and endlessly driving around in traffic circles.